Have you ever wondered how the pilots that fly your airplane get you to your final destination?  Flight preparation or planning is an extensive procedure that begins long before the actual departure time.  Most domestic flight preparation begins a day or two before the planned flight. The flight crew arrives at the airport roughly two hours early to begin the day’s work.  Flight planning is more then deciding on which route to fly. The pilot needs to acquire specific airport information, check weather, verify routing options, and get the aircraft ready before you ever come aboard.   This article will shed some light on how the pilots at Corporate Aviation Group prepare for every flight.

 

            The three main elements to flight planning (routing, airport information, and weather) are all interconnected.  All three categories of information need to be collected and interpreted in order to determine a safe action plan for the flight.  The routes Corporate Aviation Group and all other airplanes fly are part of the National Airspace System (NAS).  The NAS is a sophisticated system composed of navigation aids, airports, air traffic controllers (ATC), and different classes of airspace.  This complex system is run by thousands of dedicated people who help ensure the passengers will have a safe and efficient flying experience. Our flights are conducted using instrument flight rules (IFR).  First the flight crew must file a flight plan with detailed information gathered during the flight planning stage.  To provide the most efficient flight possible, your pilots attempt to fly the most direct route to the destination airport.  When traveling to most medium or large airports we have to fly specific routes known as airways that add a little extra distance.  A large advantage of flying a jet aircraft like ours is that the added distance does not translate into much added time.  Most of the larger airports have arrival and departure procedures that require strict compliance. 

 

            The next phase of planning is compiling information about the arrival airport.  Some of the vital airport information needed is the following: runway lengths, runway direction, airport elevation, instrument approach procedures, and facilities for both passenger and aircraft.  This airport information is gathered from a multitude of sources ranging from printed books to various Internet websites.  If this phase of planning is overlooked it can lead to very serious problems.  The Beechjet’s and Hawker’s we fly are very capable airplanes.  However, the pilots must take several steps during planning to ensure it has the performance to land and depart from a given airport.  Other factors to consider in selecting a suitable airport are the availability of jet fuel and transportation for the passengers.  If these services are essential to complete the flight, then we need to choose an appropriate airport.

 

            One of the last, but most important, elements that needs to be addressed before we takeoff, is weather.  The flight crew keeps track of the weather via forecasts days in advance of a trip.  The most critical time to view and interpret the weather is just a few hours and in some cases minutes before a flight departs.  Weather for all three phases of flight (departure, enroute, and arrival) are closely monitored.  As mentioned earlier, a direct course is the most desired route to our destination.  When weather interferes with that routing, the pilots select different courses around or over the adverse weather conditions.  The winds aloft and distance to our destination determine the altitude when we plan a flight.  Our airplanes are equipped with onboard weather radar and we also carry a satellite weather radar system to help with weather avoidance.

 

            Planning the route, checking weather, and obtaining airport information are the three biggest steps in flight preparation.  The flight crew does have several equally important items that need to be done in order for a trip to go smoothly.  A normal day for a Corporate Aviation Group pilot begins by arriving two hours prior to departure.  The crew checks that the airplane is stocked with all the essential catering items and double checks for cleanliness.  At this time the proper aeronautical charts and approach plates are verified on iPads and onboard aircraft equipment.   The preflight checks are then completed to ensure all switches are in the proper position as well as all flight manuals and required documents are aboard.   Approximately one hour before departure we obtain our ATC departure clearance, verify the proper fuel load is aboard, and enter all our flight data into the Flight Management System (FMS).  Thirty minutes before departure, a crew briefing is given by the captain to verify that all items have been completed.  At this time the crew is “standing tall” for the arrival of the passengers.

 

            Flight planning is an extensive process which requires a great deal of thought and preparation.  We are fortunate with our aircraft to have the ability to land at many different airports that the airlines do not service.  Visiting these different airports require significant planning and preparation.  Not only do these trips keep the pilots’ flight planning skills honed, but it makes the job exciting.  Like the old saying goes, pilots have the best view from their office window.